Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 bars for summer cocktails

Three new summer drinks at Cantina Laredo.
Photo courtesy of Cantina Laredo

Get more mojitos at Cafe Salsera.
Photo courtesy of Cafe Salsera

The heat has begun. And though we haven't hit 100-degree days yet, they're surely coming. So, what better way to welcome them than with an ice-cold summer cocktail in your hand?

These restaurants and bars are concocting sips that conjure up everything from tropical escapes to sophisticated summer jaunts. Grab a tiny umbrella and let's go.

Knuckle Sandwich Company
The fellows behind Parliament, Eddie "Lucky" Campbell and Andrew Brimecome, recently opened a deli-bar hybrid on Greenville Avenue that specializes in killer subs and craft cocktails. The Knuckle Punch, which is mixed from 86 Co. Caña Brava rum, orgeat, citrus, and spices, is a summer standout, combining all the flavors for an exotic — but not spicy — antidote to the heat.

Cafe Salsera
The ​Latin joint in Deep Ellum is adding to its margarita-fueled happy hour with the addition of $10 mojito carafes on Fridays only. Now, you can order hibiscus or regular mojitos any day of the week for lunch or dinner, but to get the shareable (or not, whatever you're into) size of the original, you have to go on Fridays between 11 am and 2 pm.

The Woolworth
A pineapple is a traditional symbol of welcome, so when The Woolworth brings out the giant copper pineapple that its Chill Factor is served in, the bar clearly wants you to stay a while. The cocktail, which is shareable for two, is Absolute Elyx vodka, chamomile syrup, elderflower liquor, lavender honey, edible flowers, and dry ice. Dry ice equals major cool factor.

The Rustic
Even though it's only going into its third year, The Rustic has made sure that a Dallas summer isn't complete without its popsicle frozen drinks. Order a margarita, sangrita, or other frozen cocktail in a giant glass goblet, and top it off with a SocialIce boozy popsicle. Much more festive than freezing grapes to put in your wine.